Sandblast appliance



June 8, 1948.

Filed June 3, 1946 A. B. RUCKI SAND BLAST APPLIANCE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v G fl I F 27 Z 3 1L Z23 Z1 '1 Y 24 n H 6 Z0 g/"gm I INVENTOQ. Jiforzsvfl 52x22 ATTD R N EYE June 8, 1948. A. B. RucKl SAND BLAST APPLIANCE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 5, 1946 R p m G w a m 5 0 J a j 0 i w ,4 1 F 7:; W V x m n n w 7 H 35%?? IIIIIIIIII/II/I .\\Y 'IIIIIIII ATTU RN EYS Patented June 8, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFl CE' I SANDBLAST APPLIANCE Alfonso B. Rucki, McKcesport, Pa.

Application June 3, 1946, Serial No. 674,146

6 Claims. 1

My present invention relates to improvements in sand blast appliances of the pneumatic type disclosed in Patents #1,710,169 and #1,816,583, which are characterized by a pressure tank having interior feeding and charging compartments, and a valve or valves for controlling the flow of sand from the feeding compartment or chamber to the charging chamber.

In the actual sand-blasting operations of appliances of the above mentioned type undesirable and objectionable conditions are encountered, due to defects and inefficiencies in the performance of the functions of the valve controlling the flow a of sand or other abrasive material from the feeding chamber to the charging chamber of the pressure tank.

The primary object of the present invention is to eliminate these undesirable and objectional conditions by improving the mechanical construction and arrangement of parts in connection with the filling port and valve between the feeding "chamber and the charging chamber of the tank; to insure maximum feeding and charging of the tank with sand, to prolong the sand blasting operations, and to attain efficient and smooth performance of functions in the sand blasting operations.

In the physical embodiment of my invention I utilize in the pressure tank, and in combination with the filling port and filling valve, 2. baflle plate or load-supporting member that is capable of shielding and protecting the valve to assure free flow of the sand from one chamber to another, and to permit smooth and correct operation of I the controlling valve.

The invention consists essentially in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts as will hereinafter be set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention, wherein the parts are combined and arranged according to one mode I have thus far devised for the practical application of the principles of my invention, but it will be understood that changes and alterations may be made in these exemplifying drawings and mechanical structures, within the scope of m appended claims without departing from the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through the pressure tank of a sand blast appliance in which my invention is embodied.

Figure 2 is a transverse horizontal sectional view at line 22 of Fig. 1.

v Figure 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view combined therewith.

In order that the construction, operation, and utility of the improvements may readily be undertsood I have illustrated in the assembly View Fig. 1, a cylindrical pressure tank I having a closed bottom, an upper head 2, and an interior horizontally disposed, upwardly concaved partition or header 3, which divide the tank into a top filling chamber 4, an upper feeding chamber 5, and a lower charging chamber 6, for the sand or other abrasive.

The supply of sand flows through the filling hopper by way of the inlet port I, thence through chamber 5 to and through circular port 8 of the partition 3, into the charging chamber 6, thence through the discharge port 9 to a mixing chamber H], from which the sand blast may be conducted through hoses to nozzles for the sand-blasting operations.

Air under pressure is supplied from a compressor, not shown, to the mixing chamber l0, and to an air engine. H, and the compressed air is also supplied to the two filling or control valves within the tank from the pump through the main air line I2 of the compressor, and branch pipes 13 and M are extended from the exterior of the tank to the interior thereof for connection with the valve devices.

Other accessories of the appliance include a bleeder valve I5 connected to a manifold IS with which the branch pipe I3 connects, and an exhaust pipe 1! is connected with the bleeder to reduce pressure of air in the upper or feeding chamber of the tank and release the control valve for this chamber.

The circular ports 1 and 8 are adapted to be closed, by pneumatic pressure through pipes l3 and I4, which pipes lead to identical valve-cups l8 and I9, that support conical valves 20 and 2|. These pneumatically closed valves are alined with the ports 1 and 8 and they are lifted by air pressure Within the cups to close the respective ports. The valves may be opened, or dropped from the ports by gravity, in the absence of air under pressure. An annular seat or open circularcushion 22, of rubber or other suitable materiahfor the valve, is mounted by bolts 23 and bracket casting 24 beneath the respective ports.

The novel features and combinations of my invention reside in the utilization of a fiat, horizontally disposed, circular disk, baffle-plate, or load-carrying member25, that is fashioned with a small central orifice or aperture 26 alined with the center of the-port 8. v 1 U i The baflie plate is fixed in elevated position over the port 8, and its diameter is greater than the diameter of the port 8 in order that the circular edge of the late projects beyond the circular wall of the port, and the plate forms a dead air space over the seating area of the conical valve.

The bafiie plate may be mounted over the port in any suitable manner, as by, means of a series of spaced stud bolts :21? that are-=welded atitheir lower endstoitl'ie upper face of the intermediate partition or head 3 adjacent the port 8, and the plate is bored or drilled to provide holes for the" bolts. 7

The baffle plate is adjustably mounted on the bolts, and for that purpose each boltisprovidedwith a pair of lock nuts 28, 2Si-,:that:.holdth late.-.

in adjusted position with relation to the port 8.

For sand blasting operations the feedir ig'chame'zw ber is supplied with sand through port 1, after the1b'leeder valved 5 is -\-opened-i to.*reduce pressure to atmospheric conditions within thaichamber, and. valve .2 021s loweredz to openiposition toipermit sandato fill theichambemfiw. At this timeatheslower valvez2 iv-has been: raised by. compresse'dzairto close its :.port 8; thuslmaintainirrgwanormalaand constanttpressure oi airtwithin .thei charging chamberfioripnessureechamber 6w.

After; a :sufiicientz supply: of A sand 'h-as--:been..'ad-

mittedato. feeding: chamber:5, ithebleeder valve" permit flow of sand from the feedingnhamberrto the. charging schamber;

In"*- this' flow the movement' oftsand is.-.biased around theiedgezofzthe circularbafile". plate; under the eplat'e,-;an'd 'sth'rough'ither spacei-ibetween-z the plat e and. :therpartition intoiand throughthe port, and astreamzof sandz'fiowsothroughithe-central aperture;oictheiiplatei'to1reli-eveacongestiorr :of :the abrasive over other plate.

Thus by the presence of the .baffleaplate in' the feeding: chamber :disposed :overnthev perm-'81 the direct loadnfisandw-thatwould. otherwise impil ge on theivaive is ieliminateda and the-weight .orfload is borne. by; theibafileiplate; leaving :the: valve free fon-operationpwithi close: conitactnwith itswseat, to prevent movement "of. iairtcurrentsi through .the port 8. The absence of an overloadmiirectlyabove' the valve permits theryalveto seat-:itself with an air. tight ifiti againstazthe ESGateOLIShiOnI 22;.. thus shuttingoiiseepage' ofi-gairri fromrthe charging chamber. to the lfeedingo'chamberas;

In the customary arrangement: and. use=of==the cone'f valve 'in'z'existingrappliances:1a iqu'antity of undesirable grains :of the iabrasiveimaterialz-usually -lodg'eszbetween thetvalve and "its seat;- which stifle's .a the tclosin'g: movement. 1' ofni the: ivalvegand results ir'mrleakagee of; airs fromrthei :charging neat-h the baffle-plate. -;This-.sweeping.-, i lowiof the residue and its absence from-thevalve an'deseat 4. permits the valve to close smoothly and evenly against its seat, for effectively separating the charging chamber and the feeding chamber.

This correct and precise seating of the valve 2| occurs after the bleeder valve has been manually manipulated to exhaust pressure from the feeding chamber, and this quick-action of the pneumatically closed valve prevents reduction of pressure in the charging chamber, which pressure is anec'es'sary for aconstant and continuous charging of the" manually controlled nozzl's.= 7 By eliminating the possibility of overloading the valve with a direct weight of sand, andsupporting-la portion of the load on the baflle plate,

charging chamben and. .means .IOimopemtlngs the valve to close the port,l.,a. circular..bailielplate mounted over. the. port whereby the flow .of abrasive' around and under. thenedgeofi 'the.-p1ate-is biased Ito 1 and. through .1 the. .port mandameans. on said 'partition for adjust-ably: positioning? said baifie+p1ate relative.-to .said=port,..

2. In: a'isandiblasts-appliance,..the..combination with a :tank. having apart-ition.formingsinterior feeding and charging chambers with at-pontabetween .the chambers; oi bol-tstmounted ion-r the partition adjacent :saidport, a: bafiierplatel-slidab-ly mounted: onthe bolts above thei portslocking emits ,threaded on-the bolts. for. retaining the. plates-in adjusted '"relation eon, .sa-id bolts and atherebye-to the eport, a valve mounted- .insthe charginglehamber and on. .saidepartit-ion; andmeansdomoperatingzthevvalveto-closedahe.port.:-.vv v I 3. .In :a sand i blasts appliance, etheacomlaination with". a tank having. .a concave parti-ticni-forming interior feeding and charging chambers withia central -.circula-ri portbetween ethe i-cham bers, a valvewmountedm-in the vchargi ng- .chamibermand means: fonoperatingz thervalveto closezthe'port of a flat: circular bafiieepl-ate disposed-inrhorizontal position- .over thevport, supporting tboltsrmounted on the partition 1 adjacent.--.ther-\ port: and-r1 passed through holes in. the plate' tfonsl-idablyesupporting the same, and lock nuts omopposednsidesiof.the platethreade dr'orr the boltsdor retainingitha'plate in adj listed-position: ou -said :bolts.

4; Ima-pneumatic :sands'blas-tuappliame; :the combination withaaz tankhaving apartition form- =ingzirrteri0r feedingiandnchargingzichamberstwith a p'oiit'fbetweencethe chambers, of; aibaflieaplate having: a rcentrai' apertu re:andispacedcabovaithe port, 1 supporting means for: said 'platefi 'moimted 0n the partitionj'aconical valve mourrted ifhthe 'char ging'chamb'er; and ineans' for-operatiiig said is substantially eliminated and residue abrasive material is swept into said space to insure airtight closing of the valve, said baffle plate means including bolt devices for varying the height of the dead air space above said port.

6. In a sand blast machine having a pressure tank provided with a partition forming an upper feeding chamber for receiving abrasive material and a lower charging chamber, said partition having a circular opening for the passage of the abrasive material from the upper to the lower chamber, a valve means in said pressure tank for controlling the flow of abrasive material through said circular opening, the combination therewith of a plurality of bolts angularly spaced from each other and circumferentially arranged on the partition about the opening, the angular spacing between the bolts forming entrances for the flow of material to the opening, a baffle plate having a predetermined diameter greater than that of the circular opening to overhang the periphery of 6 the same, said plate being slidably mounted on said bolts for adjustment relative to the central opening, and means on said bolts for locking said baiile plate to the same in selected positions thereon whereby said baflie plate prevents the weight of the abrasive material in the upper feeding chamher from being directly impressed upon the valve.

ALFONSO B. RUCKI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,710,169 Hull Apr, 23, 1929 1,171,286 Wadsworth Feb. 8, 1916 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 359,343 France Mar. 21, 1906 

